The federal government says it has three billion tonnes of unused iron-ore to serve as raw material for the production of steel at the Ajaokuta Steel Complex in Kogi State.
This reserve is described as a significant change over a reasonable number of years of steel raw materials exploration in Nigeria. Speaking in Kaduna over the weekend, the director-general of National Steel Raw Materials Exploration Agency (NSRMEA), Kolawole Michael, said the iron- ore in Itakpe has no equal, both in quality and in quantity.
He said there are three primary raw materials needed for steel production, which are iron-ore, constituting about 95 percent, limestone and coal, making up the remaining five percent to roll out steel.
“When the federal government resolved to invest and develop the steel sector, and harness its potential, what was very significant was the source of raw materials; that was how NSRMEA was established to explore and determine the quality and quantity of raw materials available in Nigeria to roll the steel plants.”
He said a sustained aeromagnetic survey was conducted to identify where iron-ore and other raw materials for steel production were deposited to enable the government determine where the steel plants would be located.
